Phonograph disk record.



F. W. THOMAS.

PHONOGRAPH DISK RECORD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, I914.

1,]. 34 774. Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

6 INVENTOR I Wade/1c l4. Tho/1167s-- I By D Z ATTORNEYS 25 non-sonorous, so that a more natural repropresent invention to overcome by the pro- FBEIDERIC W. THOMAS, OF NEW CITY, NEW YORK.

PHONOGRAPH DISK RECORD.

Application filed July 28, 1914. Serial N 0. 853,607.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, FREDERIG W. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New City, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Phonograph Disk Record, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to phonograph disk records.

In disk records now in use and heretofore proposed there are certain inherent objections which it is the general object of the duction. of a record which will give out mellow and pleasing sounds, do away with false, high notes, screechy and sharp noises, give a truer and more natural reproduction of sounds, and reproduce the human voice and other sounds more naturally. These results are unattained in the present disk records, owing to the fact that the disk body is of a hard, resonous nature. By the present invention the body of the record is permanentlysoft, yielding or cushiony, and hence duction of sounds is possible without screechy noises or sharp notes.

In carrying out the invention the body of the record is made of a pad 0f felt, wood pulp or other fibrous material which is impregnated with a suitable material, such as asphalt or a composition in which the asphalt is the main constituent. This asphalt serves to impart permanent softness and non-resonance to the disk body, so that the record material applied to the surface thereof will be backed by a continuously soft cushion, whereby the objections to the present disk records are wholly overcome. A record of this type has the advantage of cheapness and simplicity of construction, indestructibility, stability suflicient to prevent cracking of the record material in the use and handling of the record, and superior tone qualities.

For a more complete understanding of the invention referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawing taken in connection with the following description and append,

0 ed claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

record material broken awayi Fig. 2 is an enlarged diametrical section; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of disk record; Fig. 4 is an enlarged diametrical section thereof; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a ring form of record; Fig. 6 is a diametrical section thereof.

Referring to the drawing, A designates a sound record of disk form which comprises a fibrous core or body 1 which has on one or both sides thereof the usual record material 2, so that in external appearance the record is like those in common use, except that at the center the fiber core or body 1 is exposed. This core may be made of wood pulp, felt or any other suitable material which has sufficient rigidity to support itself. The portion of the fibrous body 1 iminediately under the record material 2 is the record material does not appear, and

this is brought out by the coarse and fine stippling, the coarsely stippled portion 3 being impregnated with the asphalt and the finely stippled portion 4 being unimpregnated. The fibrous material impregnated with asphalt and exposed for along timeto the action of the weather, retains its softness for an indefinite length of time, and consequently by inclosing the impregnated portion of the fibrous body with the practically non-porous record material, the fibrous body of the record will be practically of permanent softness or non-resonance.

In the record B shown in-Figs. 3 and 4, the fibrous body 1 is rolled or pressedthroughout that portion which is to receive the record material, and on this portion the record material 2 is applied after the fibers have been thoroughly impregnated. with asphalt or the like. The record material is flush with the center of the fibrous body of the disk, making the latter of the same thickness throughout.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive there is a central aperture 5 to receive the post of the turntable of the phonograph, but the record may be made of annular form, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case the record C has an annular body or core 6 of fibrous material that is impregnated throughout with asphalt or a compound thereof, and the record material 7 covers the upper and lower surfaces and the inner and outer edges, thereby Wholly incasing the core. 1

In making a record the softening material, which may be hot asphalt, asphalt with volatile oils, asphalt and twenty ortwentyfive per cent. tar in hot condition, or asphalt and hot coal tar with volatile oils, is applied to the fibrous body or pad either by dipping the latter in the material or spreading the material on the opposite faces thereof until the fibers are thoroughly impregnated. The pad is then dried, but in drying the pad remains soft, cushiony and nonsonorous. The record material is then applied to the impregnated part of the pad, and since this material is hot when applied there will be a firm adhesion between the pad and record material, the asphalt also contributing to this result, so that there is no danger of the record material scaling or separating from the pad From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and While I have de-' scribed the principle of operation, together with the device whichI now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters A record material applied to the impregnated body. I 1

3. A sound record comprising a fibrous body impregnated with a non-hardening asphalt, and a surface layer of hard record 7 material connected with said body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERIC W. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

CH'A-rrnN BRADWAY, GEORGE H. EMSLIE. 

